


the beauty that broke the beast

by tonightthestarsalign



Series: beauty and beast [1]
Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Gen, I wouldn't say MAJORLY graphic, Multi, and it's the Hunger Games, and there may be sex at some point, but sometimes there will be mentions of how people die, so it's not like its dainty, we'll see
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-25
Updated: 2017-06-07
Packaged: 2018-02-14 17:33:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,489
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2200722
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tonightthestarsalign/pseuds/tonightthestarsalign
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"We are sun and moon, dear friend; we are sea and land. It is not our purpose to become each other; it is to recognize each other, to learn to see the other and honor him for what he is: each the other's opposite and complement." April, District Four's female tribute, will find her complement in the Games, whether she likes it or not; story 1 of 3</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. doomsday

It was the day of the Reaping in District Four, and I was the only one awake it seemed. I had done this every Reaping day since my brother had been reaped. I would get up just before the sun rose over the Eastern horizon, make my way to the fishing wharfs and stick my feet in the ocean. The fishermen weren't out because no one worked on Reaping day and never had as far as I could remember. The sea air took over my senses, and a smile made its way across my face. It was nice to be able to get away from the troubles that awaited me once the day was in full swing. I had always found that the sea and the sunrise calmed my nerves on Reaping day, but I'd have to return to reality at some point.

My brother had been chosen eight years before, two days before his fifteenth birthday making him one of the younger tributes, and unfortunately for him, victors. I was nine at the time, and I still hadn't fully understood what the Games were, though I'd been training for two years at that point. My parents didn't want me seeing them, but that was almost impossible when it was mandated that every citizen watch. I looked on as my brother joined the alliance of wealthier districts, breaking off in the top eight so they could pick each other off one by one. I was thankful that my brother had won the Games, but it was hard to erase the image of your brother spearing the last remaining tribute through the neck.

I pulled my legs from the water and began to make my way toward my brother's house. I still lived in our old house with my mother and father, because they said Merrick had earned his house in Victor's Village. I always scoffed when they used that term. I stayed with Merrick from time to time so he wouldn't be alone and kept my nicer clothes there. His house was where I would be getting ready for the Reaping, my next to last one. Father would be helping Wade get ready, who had turned fifteen two weeks ago, while Mother laid out the clothes she and Father would wear.

I made my way past the gates in front of Victor's Village, passing houses of people I'd come to befriend. There was Finnick, who was quite the charmer, at least for the Capitol, and had won his Games only at fourteen. If I was older than seventeen and he wasn't in love with Annie, I might think twice about him. I'd known him for too long, though, that he seemed like another older brother to me. And Annie, her Games were the first Games I'd ever cried while watching. Annie had a pure meltdown as she watched her district partner get beheaded. I was thankful Finnick had taught her how to swim years ago, or she wouldn't be here right now. Now, Annie takes a long time before letting someone into her life.

I hadn't met everyone in Victor's Village, though. With trained tributes going into the arena, our District had one of the highest victor pools out there. Although, there was a nice old woman, Mags, a few houses down that would cook me shrimp when I stayed with Merrick. She never spoke a word, she would just waddle down the street, hand me a plate and waddle back to her home. Finnick had told me she cooked shrimp for me because Merrick was a lousy cook. I had giggled at the truth.

I reached the porch and opened the door to Merrick's house slowly and quietly, not sure if my brother was awake yet. I learned quickly after he returned from the Games that it wasn't a good thing when he was startled awake. My question was answered when I heard his shower running upstairs. Looking around the house, I thought about how it came into my brother's possession. It was an ugly memory—more so for him, I'm sure, but I still shuddered at the images that entered my mind. My brother jumping out of the river, shocking the girl from District Two before running her neck through with a spear still felt as fresh in my mind as it had all those years ago.

I heard the shower turn off and the door to his bathroom open. "Hey, Apricot!" He yelled down without even appearing, using that stupid nickname that only he used. Apparently, when I was born, he said my head looked like an apricot, and he had become fond of calling me that and had done so since I was little. From the ages of four to six, I was convinced that was my real name.

"Do you always have to call me that?" I called back up to him, glaring at the opening of the hallway.

He stuck his head out from the upstairs hallway, grinning like an idiot. He knew exactly how I felt about the nickname but continued to use it anyway. "Well, what would you have me call you?"

My arms flew up in exasperation, eyes rolling back in my head in time with them. "By my real name, asshole!"

A mock look of offense crossed his face then. "Language, Apricot," he scolded in a teasing tone.

"Or Apricot," I said sarcastically, giving him a disapproving look. "That's fine, too."

"Well, forgive me, April," he said, trying to sound sincere. I let out a long sigh as he disappeared back into the hallway, knowing there was no getting through to him. "Come on, Apricot, if I didn't call you that, you would think I was mad at you."

He appeared at the top of the stairs in his dress pants and the undershirt he'd be wearing. He had to look nice, because as a previous victor, he had to sit up on the stage during the Reaping. As a mentor this year, it was very likely he'd be helping two kids survive as long as possible before their untimely deaths. If he was lucky, he would get a tribute that was smart enough and strong enough to outlast everyone else. Even then, Merrick would be ruining a life. He could attest to that. One of the joys of being a victor, I suppose.

I smiled sadly at him as he made his way down the stairs. "Cheer up, Apricot. Shower's clear. Pressure's acting kind of funny, though. I'll check it out when I get back." He made his way past me and walked toward the kitchen. "Feel free to stay here whenever while I'm out. Just make sure to clean up your shit."

My smile faded as I padded up the stairs. He always talked like he knew I would be in District Four the day after the Reaping. Merrick's name had only been in the bowl four times when he was picked. Two less time than mine would be in this year. I was always told not to worry; there was always a greater chance for people who had taken tesserae to get picked over me, even though few people in our district ever needed to take them. But, when it came to the Reaping, I was always worried. Even with the six years of training in our district's acadamy and the rest by Merrick and Finnick, I was always worried.

Even though I was from one of the wealthier districts, I didn't understand why the Games were something to be loved. Almost two thousand children had died so far because of the Games. Some of the children didn't even stand a chance when they were picked, just little twelve year olds trying to understand why it had to be them and why they could never see their families again. Those were always the worst deaths, and most of the time, I couldn't bear to look at them. The day the Games ended would be a great day for the world. If they ever ended.

I opened the bathroom door and the steam from Merrick's shower rolled out and laughed at the quality we both shared: the hotter the shower, the better. I stripped down and climbed into the shower after I turned the water to as hot as I could stand it. Letting my worries wash away under the water, my sun kissed brown hair darkened as the water soaked it. I felt at home in the water. Growing up in the fisheries district, you had to be. I would stay in the water for days if I could, but not today. Today, I had to be at the Hall of Justice to see whose lives would be ruined by the Games. I washed myself thoroughly, from every strand of hair on my head, to the spaces between my toes, rinsed myself off, and begrudgingly turned off the water. I threw a towel around me before stepping into the hall and walking down to the room I normally stayed in.

Voices floated up from downstairs as I dug through my closet, and I assumed Merrick's girlfriend had shown up. She really was a lovely, young woman, and I wondered when he was going to ask her to marry him. She was one of the few girls that hadn't flocked to him for the riches that had been bestowed upon him. Paisley was a good soul, and he was lucky to have her.

Trying to decide what dress was appropriate to wear to someone's doom was extremely difficult. The Capitol hated when people wore black to a Reaping, because, according to them, the Reaping was a time of celebration, not sorrow.

Up yours, Capitol.

I heard footsteps coming up the stairs and moments later, Paisley appeared in my doorway. "Good morning, April," she said, smiling as she walked to my side and looked in my closet. "Having trouble deciding for today?" I nodded and she stepped forward immediately, digging through my dresses that hung in the closet before her. I heard some hmm's, some no's and some maybe's before I heard a definite yes. She'd pulled out my sea blue sundress. She looked giddy on the outside, her soft facial features lighting up and her blonde curls bouncing as she leaped with excitement, but on the inside, she hated this as much as everyone else.

She laid the dress out on the bed before making her way to the door, waving as she left. I pulled on my undergarments and slipped the dress on over my curves. I heard Paisley say goodbye to Merrick and the door shut behind her. I brushed my hair out and dried it quickly, letting my hair fall into its natural place, resting in the middle of my shoulder blades. Picking out a blue ribbon from the drawer, I pulled my hair over my shoulder and tied the ribbon around it. That was as much as I was willing to doll up for the cameras of the Capitol.

I walked out into the hall and then down the stairs, finding Merrick searching through his downstairs closet for a shirt to wear. I walked to the closet, looked at the side rack and pulled out a sky blue button up. He smiled at me before taking it and slipping it on. I pulled out a nice tie as well. If he was going to be a mentor this year, he'd be a well-dressed one.

I slipped on some sliver, dressy sandals I had stashed in the downstairs closet before making my way to the door, with Merrick close behind me. We walked swiftly to the Hall of Justice, ready to get this over with, though Merrick's journey would last longer than mine. He gave me a quick hug before heading to the stage with the other previous victors that had already arrived. My eyes landed on Finnick, and he sent me a wave as I stepped into the check in line. I waved back as the line moved forward and quickly found myself at the table getting my finger pricked.

I scanned the crowd as I walked, looking for my school friends and eventually I found my best friend, Nixie, saving a spot next to her for me. As I stepped next to her, she grabbed my hand instantly, something we did every year.

"How many times is your name in this year?" I asked, honestly not sure.

She gave me a sad smile. "Business hasn't been good this year, so I had to take some tesserae..."

I dropped my head. "How many times, Nix?"

She made a face. "Just sixteen."

That was almost triple the amount of what mine was, and my heart sank at the thought of my best friend's name being called. My hand immediately found her, giving it a squeeze before scanning the crowd for my brother, Wade. He was two sections over from me and I smiled at how handsome he looked. He already had to fight ladies off with a stick, and I loved teasing him about it. If he got any better looking, it'd just be funny to watch that. If he could just make it to eighteen, he'd be able to get his pick of any girl he wanted. I prayed he could find that happiness.

Our district escort, Cicero Marks, took the stage and approached the microphone. He was a bit of a pudgy man, his bright cyan suit looking a bit tight on him. His ugly comb over matched his suit, as it did every year. I remember two years ago his suit was green and his hair literally looked like seaweed. I would never understand Capitol fashion. Cicero tapped the microphone before announcing it was time to draw the names of the tributes for this year. He gave us a brief speech about how honored the tributes should feel, how he felt this would be a good year for District Four and of course, "May the odds be ever in your favor," he said, his tone too chipper for me.

My breath hitched in my throat as Cicero walked over to the container that held the girl's names and stuck his hand inside. It felt like years before he finally pulled a name out. I shouldn't really be worried. My name was in there five times. Nixie had a better chance of being chosen, which wasn't any better. I decided I wouldn't be worried as he opened the paper. I was wrong to feel safe.

"April Hylet!" Cicero called out. I felt Nixie stiffen beside me and heard my mother squeak out a sob somewhere in the crowd. Shock washed over me and for a moment, I completely forgot that it was even my name. It was like an out of body experience, the poor girl getting called scared stiff. I heard the name called twice more before it finally dawned on me that it was indeed my name. I put on my best face as I gave Nixie's hand a squeeze. I heard her start to speak, knowing she was going to volunteer for me. Whipping around to glare at her, her mouth closed quickly. I wasn't going to let her go to her death for me. She may be mentally strong, but when it came to physicality, I knew she wouldn't last two minutes in training, let alone the arena.

"I'll be fine, Nix," I whispered, letting go of her hand

I made my way out into the open and the Peacekeepers walked me to the stage. Cicero congratulated me and walked over to the boy's container. As he was digging, I made eye contact with Merrick, who was seated on my right. My brother had to train me knowing I didn't have the highest chance of making it, though I was certain I would at least make top eight. Of course, that would all depend on the crop of tributes for the year. As Cicero walked back to the microphone, I was snapped from my trance and held back tears, needing to be strong for the cameras, thinking this couldn't be a worse day. Life seemed to take my thoughts as a challenge.

"Wade Hylet! What a treat!" Cicero announced, his voice sick and twisted with happiness. My mother let out a choked sob from the back of the crowd. Rage and panic rushed through me at the sick turn of events. My older brother would have to train his two younger siblings to fight to the death. I would have to be in the arena with my younger brother. Before his name was called, I had the chance to come out of the arena alive, but with him being in there with me… I made the decision right there that I would die if it meant he could come home.

I knew one thing: The Capitol would eat up a brother and sister having to fight each other. That would be too rich to pass up. I couldn't even look over at Wade as he walked slowly up to the stage. He was probably thinking the same thing I was, hoping and praying that it wasn't really happening.

My sadness was short lived. Wade was almost to the stage when a boy I knew all too well stepped out in the open. Crest Bane. He was a year older than me. He had brighter than bleach blond hair and a slightly muscular build. His sea green eyes showed a familiar determination that I had always known to be there. He was a good family friend, had been for as long as I could remember. He had never really had a family, said he never knew what happened to his parents, and he worked around my father's shop a lot, helping out in exchange for food. He probably loved my family as much as I did.

The crowd around him turned toward him, and he yelled, "I volunteer!" I was in shock. I couldn't bring myself to be upset by his actions. I no longer had to worry about Wade. I was almost sure they wouldn't let Crest volunteer, though, the brother and sister fighting to the death almost too much for them to pass up, but I looked over and Crest was standing on the stage with me. Cicero had us shake hands, and the scene before me quickly changed from outdoors to the inside of the Hall of Justice.

I was placed in a room inside the Hall of Justice to await the goodbyes that were coming. I knew Merrick wouldn't show up. I would see him on the train. I wouldn't see everyone else for quite a while, as District Four was one of the first to get reaped. I would possibly never see them again. We still had to travel through districts five through twelve for their Reapings. Other than District Four, I had never seen a live Reaping.

I shook my head as I walked over to the window, looking out to watch the crowd moved from the square east toward the train station. My eyes spotted a speck of dirt on the window, and I tried to brush it away, but it refused to move. I focused all of my energy on that tiny piece of dirt, willing to use anything as an excuse to to think about the journey that lay ahead of me. It was too much to even begin to process, and I wanted to stay in my tiny bubble, just me and that dirt, until the last possible second.

That bubble was burst as my family came through the door.


	2. on the wrong foot

My mother immediately wrapped her arms around me, and I finally let a tear drop from my eye. I wasn’t going to look weak in front of the cameras, but my parents were upset, and I hated seeing that. I could let my guard down around them, let myself feel all the anguish and the hurt and then anger before putting on the façade for the Capitol and the rest of the country. My father put his arms around us as my mother cried into my shoulder. I looked up, pulling away from them slightly, so I could see them all. Wade was still standing in front of us, looking shocked, and I didn’t blame him.

Mother held me tightly, and the soothing brush of her hand down my back was coaxing more and more tears to the surface. The fact that there were no cameras around made it easy to let them fall. This was the only chance I would get to let myself break down and actually feel all the things any normal person would feel when faced with a life or death situation. Once I was on the train to the Capitol, I would I have to be strong no matter what happened. I had to make it back home at any cost.

Finally, after what felt like a lifetime and a second all at once, my mother let me go, but I squeezed her once more before walking over to Wade. “Wade, listen…I…I know I haven’t been the best sister in the world, but…” Wade cut me off by pulling me into his arms and hugging me. It wasn’t what I had expected. Wade and I didn’t express our relationship in a good light very much. Honestly, we fought a lot, but we both knew at the end of the day that we were family, and we loved each other.

“Don’t you say that, April, don’t you dare say that.” He pushed me away. “You’re going to come home, so don’t say that like it’s a goodbye.” I was shocked at his words. He sounded mad. “I wish I could go into the Games to make sure you came home, but I can’t… So, you’d better take care of yourself!”

I bit my lip, slightly shocked into silence but managed to nod my head. Looking to the three of them, I was met with the same look I had given Merrick all those years ago when he had been reaped. There was a desperation in their eyes that told me that did just want me to come back; they needed me to come back.

“You’re going to make it home, April,” my father said, his hand on my shoulder helping lift the weight off of them for a moment. “I know you will.”

At that moment, the Peacekeepers came through the door and began pulling them from the room. Mother tried her best to give me one last hug, but it ended up being a small caress of my shoulders. My father and Wade managed to give me a small smile, giving me an image that I would hold on to and remember for my duration of the Games. I was fighting to get back to this family that loved me with their entire beings.

The doors were only closed for a few moments before they opened again and there stood Nixie. She ran in and hugged me tightly and I returned it with as much enthusiasm. We’d been friends since we were six when she’d stopped the seven year olds from picking on me. I had been more delicate in my younger years, but Nixie had brought out the tough in me. She’d been with me through everything, so I wasn’t surprised to see her come tell me goodbye.

“I was going to volunteer!” She sobbed into my shoulder.

“I know you were, but I couldn’t let you do that for me. You have a whole big life ahead of you,” I replied, soothingly. I hated seeing her upset, and it just gave me another reason to hate the Capitol. No one made my best friend cry.

She pulled away harshly. “And you don’t? You don’t have your whole life ahead of you? You didn’t have the possibility of having a family or a normal life?” Nixie furiously wiped her eyes and turned toward the door, staring at it. She turned back to me, determination in her eyes. “You still do. I know you. I’ve seen you train with spears and tridents. I mean your fucking name is basically trident. Merrick has taught you so much, and he’ll help you even more now. You will win this, April.”

I didn’t have near enough time with Nixie before the Peacekeepers were dragging her out kicking and screaming. I sighed, dropped onto the couch, and put my head in my hands. I heard the door open, but I didn’t look up and felt the couch sink down next to me. I removed my hands from my face to see another hand in front of my face, holding out a piece of saltwater taffy. I didn’t even need to look up to know who was sitting next to me. Ever since he returned from his Games, Finnick had always had a bit of a sweet tooth.

“Want it?” He asked, nonchalantly.

I shook my head, not really in the mood to eat anything. He shrugged and popped it into his mouth. He was acting like nothing was wrong, which, honestly, I was grateful for. No hugging, no crying, just sitting here on the couch, like any other day. I wondered what he was doing here, saying goodbye to me. I knew we’d grown close over the years, but I didn’t know it would merit a visit.

“You know, a lot of people have a lot of faith in you, saying the Hylet family has another victor on their hands.” I scoffed at the thought of starting some Hylet family legacy. “I agree with them. I’ve watched you train. I’ve helped you train, which, is probably the best training you’ll ever get.” At that, he winked, trying his best to lighten the mood.

“And they say you aren’t humble,” I joked, chuckling at his arrogance. It felt nice to laugh, even in the dire situation, and I found the strength to wipe the last of the tears from my eyes. It would be time for me to leave soon, and I couldn’t go out there looking as if I had had a breakdown.

“You’re from one of the wealthier districts. Think wisely before you decide to join the others or not. I wish I was taking your brother’s place, so he didn’t have to go through this, but I can’t. So do your best and come back.”

I took a deep, shuddering breath, holding back the last of the tears that threatened to spill. I was going to have to put an act on for the entirety of the nation soon. “I don’t know what I’m gonna do, Finnick. I wasn’t prepared for this. Merrick always spoke as if I would never be in this position.”

“You’re going to be strong.” I felt Finnick rummage in his pocket and pull something out. “Your mother gave this to me as I passed her. She didn’t get a chance to give it to you while she was in here.” I looked though my wet eyelashes to see my mother’s locket in his hand. I quickly wiped at my eyes again and took it from him, opening it quickly. On the left, I saw our family picture, my father and mother behind us three kids. On the right, was a picture of Merrick, Wade, and myself ‘stacked’ on top of each other—Merrick having to support all our weight on his hands and knees.

I smiled and hugged Finnick quickly. “Thank you so much, Finnick, for everything you’ve done.” He returned the hug generously. I would miss him dearly while I was gone. “I’ll try my hardest to come back to you guys.”

Finnick stood up. “You’ll do fine, April. We all believe in you. You just have to do the same.” He walked to the door, opened it and turned back to me. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” he said, winking again. I had to chuckle again. He then stepped outside and closed the doors, leaving me in the room alone with only my thoughts.

I got up, looked at the mirror on the wall and tried my hardest to make myself look like I hadn’t been crying. The whites of my eyes were slightly pink, and the normal light blue irises had changed to a dark shade, like they always did when I cried. Peacekeepers came in and took me to a vehicle that already held Cicero and Crest inside it. I stepped in when the door was opened and looked over at Crest. I scanned over his stern face, trying to find an ounce of regret, but there was nothing to find. If he was regretting his decision, he wasn’t showing it. Had he planned to volunteer before Wade’s name was drawn? Did he just decide to do it? I would find out later. I can’t help but wonder how his goodbyes went. I hoped my family had gone to thank him. Wade now owed Crest his life.

We arrived at the train station fairly quickly and the train was already there waiting for us. There was a rather large crowd, even though some of the families of District Four were already mourning for my and Crest’s families. I climbed onto the train, not wanting the cameras to catch any weakness that might have been showing in my eyes. I tried not to think about what was going to happen over the next few days. My brother would be training me for what could very well turn out my last few days on Earth, a week or two if I was lucky. I dreaded this. I didn’t want my parents to watch another child go through the Games. I didn’t want my brother to have to send me to my death. I didn’t want to die. That left me with one option. I would fight with everything that I had in me.

Cicero stepped ahead of Crest and me, babbling about what the train would be like. I wasn’t listening. I was just trying not to think about anything, trying to make myself numb, but it wasn’t working. I barely registered the magnificant train car, filled with enough food to feed an army. I heard Cicero say something about another car before leaving the one we were in. I took a seat in one of the chairs, no more emotion showing on my face. It surprised me that I even managed that with the raging storm of emotions I could feel swirling around in my brain.

Crest sat in the seat next to me. There was something I had to know. “Why?” I asked outright.

Crest looked over at me. “Why what, April?”

“You know what. Why did you volunteer for Wade?”

He barely took a second to answer. “No one should have to fight their family like that. Your father has done a lot for me over the years, and I couldn’t let him lose a child. At least this way, you can go back without worrying about your brother dying.”

The sentiment almost brought tears to my eyes. I cleared my throat, trying to talk around the lump of emotion that sat there. I had never seen such a selfless act before, and the fact that I had never taken the time to really get to know Crest made me upset. He was willing to sacrifice his life for my brother, and I didn’t even know if he was leaving any family behind.

“So…you’re just going to…die?” I finally managed to say, the lack of shaking in my voice surprising me.

Crest opened his mouth to speak but a second later, Merrick quickly entered the car. I launched myself out of the chair and ran into his open arms. I let my emotions flood over me again, but I couldn’t cry. Just feeling my brother’s arms around me was enough to make me feel safe for the moment. I felt him stroke my hair, keeping me calm until I let him go. As soon as I did, his attention was on Crest.

“Thank you so much for volunteering for Wade,” Merrick said, extending his hand for Crest to shake.

Crest took it without question and said, “I don’t expect a lot from you, sir. April is your sister, and I wouldn’t expect you to train someone other than her.” He turned to me. “I’m trained well enough that I’ll help you as long as I can, but I don’t expect to be going home.”

My heart broke and I pulled Crest in for a hug. “Crest, don’t give up that easily.”

He tensed at the hug before returning it and chuckled. “I don’t have much back home. You have a lot more to lose than I do. Your family has now had to go through this twice. I’ll do my best to make sure they have a second victor.”

I smiled sadly at him. He was willing to die for me. He sat back down and I turned back to Merrick. I wanted to lie down, needed to lie down. Merrick understood and walked me to the sleeping car for us. This train had to be huge. We walked through a couple of cars before Merrick opened a door in one of the cars, revealing a nice, quaint sleeping compartment. I smiled at the bed. I turned and hugged Merrick, smiling at him, trying to stay positive. He smiled back, not wanting to show his sadness, but his eyes betrayed him. I stepped into the sleeping compartment and Merrick closed the door. I lay down on the bed, barely able to register how soft the pillows were before drifting to sleep.

I was woken up by Cicero pounding on the door, telling me District Five was going to begin their Reaping very soon and that I needed to watch it. My body didn’t want to get up and protested even the smallest movements I made. It felt like I had only been asleep for a few moments, and all I wanted was to sleep and never go back to the nightmare that was currently my life. I didn’t want to see two more lives ruined. Worst of all, I didn’t want to see the other tributes that had already been reaped. I was afraid my confidence would drop when I saw the rest of the wealthier tributes that had trained most of their lives.

A groan escaped my lips as I reluctantly got out of bed after the third pounding. I checked myself in the mirror, making sure I didn’t look like death after the nap I’d just had. I didn’t look any different than I had at the Reaping. I took a deep breath. You are strong. I left the compartment and followed Cicero through the cars before entering one with more kids my age.

My eyes immediately fell on a perky blonde girl and an awkward looking boy. They were talking excitedly with each other, not aware of my presence just yet. Cicero told me he might be back after the Reaping, but if not, I could show myself back to my room. He left and I suddenly felt like I had been thrown into the lion’s den. I tried to keep in mind that I was safe, that they couldn’t do anything to me until we were in the arena, but that thought only helped so much. The blonde and the awkward boy gave me a one over look before going back to their conversation. As my eyes scanned the rest of the car, a dark haired girl that was just in a conversation with someone was now glaring at me. Two seconds around the other tributes and one already looked like she was ready to kill me. I had to wonder what in the world I could have done to warrant such hatred this fast but tried not to linger on the thought as I saw the person I assumed she was talking to before I’d come in.

This guy was strongly built, built even more than Crest, had sandy blonde hair and blue eyes that were icier than mine. His face was annoyingly handsome, I had to admit. He was tall, too. He was at least a foot taller than I was. I immediately knew he was either from District One or Two. His strong, muscular arms were crossed over his chest and he was no longer paying attention to the girl he had been talking to. I then realized that he was staring. He was staring at me, and he was smirking arrogantly. He was sizing me up, and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t intimidated. I was also intrigued and determined not to let myself be underestimated.

I started to walk over to the couch in front of the television. Crest was already seated there, talking to a girl tribute. My foot caught the edge of the rug on the floor. I started to fall, but caught myself on the table next to me. The perky blonde and the awkward boy laughed. The dark haired girl smirked at my clumsiness. I didn’t look at the handsome boy but for a second. The smirk hadn’t moved from his face. I sat down quickly to Crest’s right, trying not to let my disappointment in myself show. It was just a small trip; I could recover from that once we got into training. Then I would show them just how deadly I could be.

On the television, the officials, previous victors, and the escort from District Five stepped out onto the stage. The other tributes in the car took their seats around the television. The handsome boy took the seat on my right and I couldn’t help but tense when he outstretched his arm on the couch behind me. I didn’t like being this close to him, no matter how handsome he was.

“Move over, Cato,” the perky blonde said, flirtatiously smiling as she said it. I had to resist the urge to vomit. How the hell could someone be flirting with the person who they might eventually have to kill or be killed by?

Cato. He looked up at her before moving over, making him move closer to me. The blonde sat down and tried to get closer to him, but that just made him get even closer to me. I was starting to get uncomfortable. I looked up at Cato, trying to convey that he needed to move away. He caught my glance, leaned down and whispered in my ear, “Just go with it.” I looked confused. Then, he leaned back and spoke.

“How’s life been, April? I haven’t seen you in a while,” Cato said, giving my shoulder a squeeze.

The statement had me extremely confused. It didn’t click with me at first that he’d heard my name during my Reaping, but I wasn’t about to make this guy mad. Even if I was strong, he could snap me like a twig. I looked up and smiled, going along with his act. “I can’t complain. Business has been the same. It feels like ages since I last saw you. How have you been?”

Cato looked forward toward the television as people continued to file onto the stage. He looked calm and collected with a slight edge of confidence in his face. “I’m ready to get this show on the road. I’ve got a game to win.”

It was hard, acting like I knew this guy, when, in reality, I’d never spoken to him before in my life. “Same old Cato. A little too eager to get into the Games. You’re still so sure you’ll win?”

He laughed, but there was no malice behind it. It was actually rather pleasant sounding, which was surprising coming from a guy like him. He looked as if his laugh would sound menacing. “You’ve fought with me. You know how strong I am. I could easily win with my eyes closed.”

I rolled my eyes. I didn’t have to know him to know that was a stupid statement to make this early. There were still eight districts to be reaped, and there was no way of knowing what surprises were in store from the other districts. “Not all the districts have been reaped yet. There could be some legendary tribute come along and wipe the floor with you. Arrogance can lead to demise.”

He smirked down at me. “Oh, I’m not scared. These Games are mine.” He leaned down and whispered to me, allowing only me to hear, “Just like you.”

My body grew tense next to his, and I had a feeling that was the reason for his comment. Goosebumps rose on my skin, but I managed to keep my face schooled, hiding the fact that his words left me uneasy. If he wanted to beat me in the Games, he was going to have to fight his hardest. I was sure I had a lot more to fight for than he did. “I guess we’ll see, won’t we?” I said back, and was glad that my words seemed to surprise him.

The blonde girl looked around Cato, a scowl thrown in my direction before she spoke. “How in the world do you two know each other?”

Cato spoke up first, as my head was reeling with worry, because I had never been good at lying on the spot. “April’s family and my family have been trading for years, since District Two is right next to District Four. I’d travel with my father when he’d go to trade with them. April was always there, helping her father.”

So, he was from District Two. His excuse was good and entirely plausible idea. While generally travelling between districts was not allowed, sometimes the Capitol would allow inter-district trade, especially with districts that they were fond of. The part of District Four I lived in shared a border with District Two. I was still confused as to why he was doing this, until the blonde got up and moved to a seat behind the couch, huffing as she went. Cato leaned down again and his voice came out as a growl. “Don’t read into it, Four. I just needed Glimmer off my back. Now laugh.”

I didn’t question him and did the best fake laugh I could muster. Cato smirked at me before returning his attention back to the television and I did the same, trying not to feel worried when it came to the boy next to me. He was built to charm the Capitol and win the Games. His face said handsome and charming, but his attitude said arrogant and lethal. I tried not to let him intimidate me, but it wasn’t completely working. There was a part of me that told me not to mess with him, while the other part of me told me not to put up with his shit. I had a feeling the latter would win out. I had a hard time keeping myself in check with arrogant people.

There was a jab in my ribs, and I looked over at Crest. His brows were furrowed in question, and I gave him a slight shake of my head, telling him not to say anything. I didn’t need any reason for Cato to hate me before we even made it to training. Even if he was full of himself, I had to remind myself that I could very well end up in an alliance with him should all the wealthy districts team up together.

The escort announced the name of the girl tribute for District Five. A little girl walked out, looking so tiny that she had to be twelve. I sighed, leaning my head back as a boy of the same size was announced. My head hit Cato’s arm, and I immediately removed it. 

After the two tributes were announced, the television was turned off and everyone began to filter out. I got up and was about to leave when Cato stepped in front of me, blocking my path to the door. I was shocked at first, but then gathered my composure.

“Can I help you with something?” I asked, confidence radiating from my voice. I wasn’t going to let him get to me. He was just another person keeping me from getting back home.

His smirk was still plastered on his face, and his arms were back across his chest. He started circling me, like a shark getting ready to strike. He was looking me up and down, sizing me up once again. He’d immediately dismissed me as nonthreatening, and I knew it. I was short, my body only showed some evidence of the strength I knew it possessed, and I was wearing a dress. I probably looked as nonthreatening as a fly. He was trying to make me nervous, but I held my ground. With every pass around me, I could feel my resolve growing stronger. He was not going to get to me, and I was going to prove it.

All of a sudden, I felt him up against my back. I tried to step away, but his arms caught mine and he pulled my back to his chest again. His lips caressed my ear, and I felt a shudder race down my spine, shocking me for just a moment before I decided to ignore it. Invading my personal space was another tactic to get me to crumble, but my walls were holding steady.

“Better watch your step, little girl,” he said, referring to my trip as I had entered the cart. The little girl comment made me turn my head and glare at him over my shoulder. “We wouldn’t want that pretty face messed up before the Games,” he said, with a teasing hint behind his voice.

He let go of my arms, slid around me, and walked into the next car. I stood there for a few more moments, trying to let all the emotions I had swirling in me fade away again. The thought crossed my mind that being around the brute from Two might actually work to my advantage. If I could show all the other tributes that one of the biggest threats didn’t scare me, I could have a shot at being one of the top tributes.

I took one last deep breath before walking out of the cart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There’s chapter two. I decided to add the bit where they’re all on the train together to help the relationship along with Cato and April. For what I have planned, having them meet at the tribute parade would make their relationship more rushed than it already is. I’m glad you guys like the story so far! I’m already excited to show you guys the rest.


	3. something to prove

Throughout the next couple of the days, we were called back into the same car to watch each district’s Reaping ceremony. I had already watched the Reapings for Districts One, Two, and Three after encountering Cato the day of District Five’s reaping. Cato had valiantly volunteered before the escort had even gotten a hand in the bowl, marching confidently to the stage to stand next to Clove, his fellow tribute. She was young, maybe fifteen years old, and I wasn’t sure if I needed to be worried about her yet.

The car continued to add more and more people as we went through each district, making it much easier to get away from Cato. Even though I knew I could face him, I wanted to keep our interactions as scarce as possible. After our ‘conversation’ during and after the Reaping of District Five, every time I’d glance his way, he’d be staring right back at me, with that smirk plastered across his face. He made me want to rip or slap it off, but I had to keep myself in check.

I would busy myself by talking with Crest, and the boy and girl tributes from District Three. I tried not to talk too many of the other tributes, as I didn’t want to get too close to them. It was already hard to think about Crest, the boy who had now saved my brother’s life, dying in the arena. I didn’t want to think about anyone dying in the arena, but as I looked around the car at the twenty-two people on board that possibly all of us would die. There were still two tributes yet to board the train.

We had just finished watching the Reaping of District Twelve. I wanted to cry when the older sister of the girl tribute ran out into the crowd and volunteered, reminding me of Crest’s sacrifice. It was such a brave thing for her to do. Her sister looked so small, that I was sure if she were to be in the arena, she’d be slaughtered. Of course, I could have been wrong. Some of the best things came in small packages. I looked around the car, saw a couple of the younger tributes and wondered if they’d be able to survive for very long.

Once again, everyone was filtering out of the car. I was in need of a nap. The days of just watching people’s horrified faces as their names were read had been mentally exhausting. There were twenty-four kids on this train, and their lives were now ruined. Twenty-three of them would be dead and one would be damaged beyond the repair that the Capitol could provide. That’s how Merrick put it, anyway. Not wanting to be bothered by Cato again, I quickly left the car and headed for the one that housed my sleeping compartment.

I made it to my sleeping compartment without delay, ignoring Crest’s calls as I went. I just needed to be away. Entering my sleeping quarters as quickly as I could, I changed into sleepwear before falling onto the bed. We still had a couple of days left on the train, which meant I would probably spend those days trying to avoid Cato at all costs. Until I knew I could show my strength over his large form in front of everyone, there was no need to be around him.

My mind kept going back to our fake conversation on my first day on the train. “These Games are mine,” he had said. “Just like you,” he had growled in my ear. I didn’t know exactly what he had meant and wasn’t entirely sure I wanted to, especially when I thought of that pleasant shiver when his lips brushed the shell of my ear. I did know one thing; I was going to be his kill. His stare had told me as much. I felt like he looked at me like a piece of meat and he was an extremely hungry and attractive lion. _Stop it, April._ I had honestly become tired of the smirking.

I closed my eyes and drifted to sleep, even though it was around six by the time that happened, but the entirety of my sleep was plagued by that handsome smirk. When I woke up, it was dark outside. I rolled over to see that the time was ten at night. I’d slept the rest of the day away. _Great._ My sleep schedule was going to be extremely messed up, but it was better to get used to the staggered sleep before getting into the arena. I would be lucky to get an hour at a time in there.

I sat up in bed quickly, suddenly feeling a surge of something I masked as bravery go through me. Avoiding him until we were training could be helpful to me in the long run with the other tributes, but for him, he would see it as avoiding him out of fear. I would not let him think I was afraid of him. That was the last thing I wanted. I left my sleeping compartment and looked down the car. All the sleeping compartment doors were closed. I made my way a few doors down. We had our sleeping compartments organized by districts, boys on one side, and girls on the other. So, it wasn’t hard to find Cato’s compartment.

I was only in front of his door before my fist was knocking on it. I tried not to let the nagging feeling that I _wanted_ to see Cato after avoiding him, pushing it down until it was unrecognizable. This was about showing him that he was going to have to fight just as hard to beat me as he would with everyone else. I was not going down without a fight. A face appeared in the doorway as it slid open, his expression angry.

It didn’t take but a second after Cato registered that it was me that the scowl turned into that signature smirk. “District Four, what a surprise. It’s nice to see you out of a dress.”

I looked down and realized how scantly clothed I was. I had changed into a pair of shorts and a loose fitting tank top I had found in my quarters before I’d fallen asleep. It was impossible to fight the blush that crept up my cheeks as he stared at me. I looked back up at him and that’s when I realized that Cato was not wearing a shirt, and it was my turn to stare. I only let my gaze linger on his chest for a few moments before I got my brave face back, not intending to take any shit from him.

“I have a name, _Two_ ,” I replied, mocking him. Being called Four was almost as annoying as Merrick calling me Apricot.

He leaned against the doorframe and crossed his arms over his chest. “I know you do. That doesn’t mean I’m going to use it.” He continued to smirk, and I wanted to punch him.

I mimicked his move, crossing my arms over my chest as well. The point of this conversation was to stand my ground and show him that I wasn’t afraid. That no matter what, he wasn’t going to get to me. “Stop looking at me like that.”

“How am I looking at you exactly?” He proceeded to lick his lips, enhancing the look I was referring to.

“Like I’m a piece of meat you’re going to devour at any given second. You’ve already underestimated me before we’ve even begun our training, and if you think for one second that I won’t fight tooth and nail in that arena, you’ve got another thing coming,” I ranted.

He threw his head back in a short laugh, laughing at me, before his smirk returned. I could tell I wouldn’t like this. “You know, you’re cute when you’re mad.”

I couldn’t help myself. My hand was moving toward his face of its own accord faster than I could stop it. I was about slap the smirk off Cato’s face, and I was going to like it. My hand was almost there when his hand came up and wrapped around my wrist. I was shocked at his speed before he was pulling me and turning into his sleeping quarters. He pressed my back up against the wall and pushed both my wrists up by my head, against the wall as well. His chest was pushed up against mine. My breathing picked up as I struggled against his hold on me. I hadn’t expected this to happen. I should’ve known his reflexes would be good. He was a hardcore tribute, trained in combat for years, and it was showing. There still wasn’t an ounce of fear in my body, just more determination to prove that his tough attitude wasn’t going to phase me. His eyes seemed to dare me to do something like that again.

His smirk grew, but it wasn’t his typical arrogant smirk. This one was sort of menacing from the angle I was at. “You were saying?”

I opened my mouth to speak, but I had no words. I was normally able to come up with a snappy comeback anytime someone challenged me. My family and District Four friends and acquaintances could vouch for that, but for some reason, this stupidly arrogant, attractive guy had me at a loss for words. _April, stop thinking like that. He has to die in the next couple of weeks._ I found myself saddened by the thought, but couldn’t figure out why. I looked up at Cato, and he seemed proud that he had me at a loss for words.

“What’s the matter? Cato got your tongue?” He asked, trying to be clever.

“You wish,” I replied.

“In time,” he shot back, like he was sure of it.

I tried using my knees to push him away, but that just made him even more determined. He put both my wrists together above my head with one hand and used his legs and other hand to still the movements of my legs and hips. He was too close, his breath ghosting over my face every couple of seconds. I kept squirming, trying to get away from his iron grip, but it was no use. I may have been strong, but I had no room to move and Cato’s strength well overpowered my own. A glare and a scowl passed over my face and I stopped my squirming, hoping that if he saw I wasn’t willing to play, he’d give up his game and let me go.

When I finally focused on staring him down, making our blue eyes meet. I was mesmerized. I didn’t like this feeling I was getting. This wasn’t right. Cato was an egotistical, huge, strong, brutal, and, unfortunately, very handsome boy. I had to stop this, but he still had me in his vice grip. I was, unfortunately, at his mercy. He could end my life right here and no one would know. I couldn’t even formulate a scream for help, even though I was too proud for that anyway.

Then, all of a sudden, he was leaning down, inching closer and closer to my face. My heart started to race as I contemplated what was about to happen and whether or not I wanted to stop it. Thoughts were going a thousand miles an hour through my mind until I glanced down at his lips and back to his eyes and everything quieted. My breaths came out a bit shallow as he continued to get closer to my face, his eyes falling on my lips. I let my eyes close, but when I did, his movement stopped. I kept them closed, not sure I wanted to see what was about to happen.

“Look. At. Me. _April_ ,” Cato said quietly.

My eyes fluttered open, and I was met with the icy blue gaze again. His stare was piercing, and it felt like he knew every tiny thing about me, like I was glass and he could see everything without me needing to say it. I could feel the heat of his breath on my face again, and for some reason, the urge to close the gap between us was bouncing around in my head.

He ran his tongue along his lips and smirked at me once more before saying, “You’re cute when you’re scared, too.”

Anger bubbled within me at his words. I knew it was the exact reaction he was looking for, but I couldn’t help feeling it. “I am _not_ scared. Especially not of you.” I felt this inherent need to prove to this guy that he had no power over me. That was hard to prove from this position, and as much as I hated this position, I loved it just as much. I hated that I loved being this close to this arrogant, handsome jerk, when just days ago, I had been begging for more room between us on the couch. _What is wrong with me?_

I had to get away from him. It was a stupid mistake to try to tell him off and try to prove myself right now. I started squirming under his grip again, determination showing on my face. His grip tightened and his thumb started rubbing circles on my hip. As I continued to struggle I felt a sting come into my shoulders. He was lifting me off the ground by my wrists, still held above my head. My feet were no longer touching the floor.

“Cato, let go of me,” I spat out fiercely. I flexed my fingers to see if I could at least reach his hand to dig my nails in, but that plan failed as well.

“You got yourself into this, little girl. Get yourself out.” His grip tightened again and it was starting to hurt at that point.

I hung my head in defeat. There was absolutely nothing I could do. “I can’t,” I mumbled.

“What was that?”

“I can’t,” I said loudly, angrily, glaring at him. Our faces were close once more, and I held my ground as best I could from my position. Even though I was trapped, I was not willing to admit total defeat. He still didn’t scare me, and if anything, this encounter made me want to prove myself even more.

His smirk turned into an evil one. “That’s exactly what I thought. I can easily overpower you, April. I could snap your neck right here, right now. And if you think for one second I won’t hesitate to end you in the arena, you’re _dead_ wrong.” His grip was like a vice on my wrists and hip. I winced as his hands dug in. “I know you must be confused and upset with yourself. You find me attractive. I can see it. You’re pressing yourself back up against me, right now.” _Was I? Crap. I am…_ I tried pushing myself away from him a bit, and he just laughed and pressed himself against me more. “I can’t say I don’t find you attractive because you are _very_ attractive, but that won’t win you the Games. I’ve trained for most of my life for this, and no scared little girl,” I started to open my mouth to remind him that I was not scared, but he kept on going, “with an attitude is going to stand in my way. You’re a pretty face, and it’ll be a shame to see you die. Try as you might to keep that from happening, I’m going to win the Games. You just watch.”

With that, he pulled me off of the wall, placing me on the floor and lightly pushed me into the hall. I was still trying to recover from whatever had happened inside his quarters. My mind was reeling, my heart was racing, and my breathing was still coming quickly. My legs started moving on their own, back toward the door that had my sleeping quarters behind it. I was confused as to what was happening within me, the internal conflict still raging. I was halfway back to my room when I was called again.

“District Four,” Cato called. I contemplated not even giving him the time of day but turned my head back to look at him. “You and I aren’t done, not by a long shot.” As he finished his statement, he sent me something more akin to a grin and slipped back into his room, leaving me bewildered at, not only him, but at myself as well.

I walked back to my compartment once more, sliding the door shut behind me. I fell onto the bed gratefully and rolled onto my back. I looked at my wrists to see the damage. They were a deep shade of pink. I could already tell that they were going to be bruises, which wasn’t hard to do; I bruised easily as it was. My hip would probably bear a similar mark, though not as bad as my wrists. Merrick would not be happy when he saw them, and I had no way to cover them up until we got to the Capitol. With a little luck, my stylist would have something to take care of them.

I rolled over onto my stomach, climbing under the blankets, tired once again that incident. I was grateful that something good had come from it. I closed my eyes and drifted to sleep with that annoyingly handsome face haunting all my dreams once again.

It felt like I’d only been asleep for ten minutes before I heard pounding on the door. I groaned and rolled off of my stomach, looking up at the ceiling. We were still on our way to the Capitol, the trees of the Midwest moving at top speed outside my window. We wouldn’t be there until the end of the day. I was looking forward to getting off of the train, but that just meant I was even closer to my possible death.

I opened the door, while trying my hair out of my face. Cicero gave me an unamused look that I seemed to be taking up so much of his morning. There wasn’t much to do on the train so I didn’t see what the problem was. I walked behind Cicero to the car containing my brother and my district partner. They were both eating, talking to each other, trying their best to act as if there was nothing different about the day. I plopped down next to Merrick, and started to reach for food when I saw my wrists. They were no longer pink, but they were starting to bruise. I quickly tried to place my hands in my lap, but Merrick caught my arm. He pulled it from my lap and examined my wrist. I could see anger fill his face.

“What happened?” He asked, still holding my arm.

“It was my fault. I was trying to prove myself to someone and I got shown up. It’s no big deal,” I replied, brushing it off.

Crest spoke up. “It’s not a big deal? April, your wrists are bruised. There isn’t supposed to be any physical fights between tributes until the Games start. You know that.”

“ _I_ started it, okay?” I was thankful they couldn’t see my hip, because it was sure to be bruised, too. “It’s fine! Now drop it.” I was already done talking about this. I was already slightly embarrassed that I couldn’t hold my own the night before. Cato now had something to hold over my head even more. I quickly yanked my arm away from my brother.

Merrick and Crest continued to stare at me as I ate, but no one said a word about my arms. Cicero had remained quiet throughout our exchange. I was surprised he hadn’t flipped out on me, but I guess he had faith in my stylist and the styling team to fix me up. I began to wonder if I would like my stylist. There was a chance that I would have the same stylist as my brother, and I remember he had looked great. Hopefully whoever it was could work their magic on me as well. I was pulled from my thoughts by Cicero’s voice.

“Why don’t you all figure out the strategies you will use for the Games? Best to start now, don’t you say, ole boy?” He asked my brother as if they were the best of friends.  
Crest chimed in. “I already know what I’m doing. I’ll keep my eyes open for anything that could go wrong for you and help you out for as long as I’m alive in there. You just keep yourself out of trouble.”

I frowned. He talked about it like it was so easy. By helping me live, he was signing his own death warrant. “As grateful as I am that you’re doing this, I still don’t understand _why_ you’re doing it.”

“I already know I won’t win, so if I can help my district partner bring home a victory, then I will,” he replied. He thought it was the simplest thing in the world, but it was far from it. “And like I said yesterday, you have more to lose than I do. Your family shouldn’t even be going through this again.”

We continued to eat and strategize for most of the day, deciding that Crest and I wouldn’t have an alliance at first in the Games. I found out that Crest’s specialty weapon was a spear, and he was pretty skilled with a mace. I hadn’t seen a mace in the Games in years, though. I had become pretty skilled with a trident over the years, thanks to Finnick. I was nowhere near his skill level, but it was definitely what I used the best. I liked to think I was okay with throwing knives, but I hadn’t picked them up since I stopped training officially. I had more confidence in my trident and spear throwing abilities.

We were dismissed to get ready for our arrival at the Capitol in an hour. I could lie and say that I wasn’t excited to see how the city looked. I’d had to hear Cicero babble on and on about it. I hoped it lived up to the hype. There were bits and pieces shown of the city every year during the broadcasting of the Games, but there was something about seeing it up close and personal that I found myself eager to see.

I made my way back to my compartment. My reaping dress was laid out on the bed, waiting for me. I walked past the bed, grabbed some new undergarments and walked into the bathroom right off of my own room. I stripped down and washed myself off. I noticed that the water was salt water. I could smell it. It wasn’t exactly like the water back home, but it was close enough. _That’s odd._ I finished cleaning up and got out of the shower. Grabbing a towel, I dried myself off, pulled on my undergarments and walked out into my quarters again. A shiver went through me as I felt a draft in my room, realizing I’d forgotten to shut the door and walked over to it. I started to slide the door shut, but it stopped, having only moved about an inch. _That’s just fantastic._ I stuck my head out the door and looked down the hall. Seeing no one, I quickly stuck my head back in the door. My attention was back to my dress, quickly unzipping it. I was about to pull it off the bed when I heard a cough. I quickly turned around, my eyes landing on Cato. He was wearing a light blue button up shirt with black dress pants. He was smirking, just like he always did, his eyes looking me up and down again.

“Well, hello, District Four. Definitely nice to see you out of a dress,” he said, quoting himself from our conversation last night.

I looked down at myself then back up at him. I didn’t immediately grab my dress. I was more determined than ever to show this guy that he didn’t scare me. I didn’t know how standing in front of him in my underwear was going to do that, but I hoped that it showed some confidence.

“My name is _April._ Now go away, Cato,” I said, putting my hands on my hips. I regretted it. The bruise on my hip hurt pretty badly, but I didn’t let it show in my face. I was not about to let any weakness show, especially after the previous night. Letting him get to me again was not an option.

He leaned against the door frame. “Now, _April_ , why would I want to do that when I’m perfectly comfortable where I’m at right now? Not to mention the great view I’ve got.”

“Is that a custom in your district? I didn’t realize being a peeping Tom was high praised in District Two.” I turned around and grabbed my dress off the bed. Before I could even start to put it on, it was taken from my hands and thrown back on the bed. I turned back around and Cato was right upon me once again. My hands were up, poised to push him away but he grabbed both my arms. He looked down at my wrists, and there was no mistaking the hint of sadness creep across his eyes for a split second.

“Looks like I did some damage last night,” he said, no real emotion in his voice, still looking at them, but the sadness I saw was gone.

“It’s nothing I can’t handle,” I replied, trying to get my arms from his grip, not wanting anymore bruises. “ _Now let go._ ”

To my surprise, Cato dropped my arms. I turned around to grab my dress again, but I was grabbed by the waist and turned around. I looked up at him, confused. There was that sadness again. The Cato I had observed over the past few days showed nothing but confidence. To see this side was quite the surprise. He looked down at me, from my head to my toes, then back up. He backed up from me and walked to the door. More than a little confused, I grabbed my dress once more and started to step into it, when I heard Cato mumble something before walking down the hall. As I slid into the dress and zipped it, I thought I had heard him apologize for giving me the bruises.

Realizing it was finally pointless, I couldn’t deny the attraction I found in Cato. He was extremely handsome and confident in himself. He was also overly egotistical, cruel, and lacked compassion. But the sadness I was sure I had seen in his eyes showed that he had a little kindness. It showed me he was capable of some kind of emotion. I smiled at the thought of now having that to hold over him. I was brought from my thoughts when Crest appeared in the door.

He was smiling. “We’re here. You’ve got to see this. It’s amazing.” With that, he disappeared. I quickly left my room, following him back to our car of the train.

Once I reached the window, I was in awe. The buildings looked like they were made of some light colored stone. Waterways weaved in and out of the city, automatically making me miss District Four. All too quickly, we were going through a tunnel and pulled into the station and the train pulled to a stop. I looked out at the massive amount of people waiting to see us. I looked over at Crest, who looked at me, too. We decided we might as well make the most of it. We turned back to the crowed, and we began to smile and wave at them. A chorus of applause and screams erupted from the crowd as we put on our best faces. We continued this until Cicero pulled us away from the window.  
It was time to go meet our stylists and styling team and get prepped.


End file.
